


nothing to lose

by stuckonylove



Series: the prison saga [2]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prison, Angst, Boys Kissing, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, M/M, Mentions of Murder, Prison, Protective Natasha Romanov, Protective Steve Rogers, Stucky - Freeform, Triggers, mentions of drug abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-01-02 03:27:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21154838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stuckonylove/pseuds/stuckonylove
Summary: SEQUEL TO VISIONS I VANDALIZE (so obvi contains spoilers of the first book)don't read if you haven't read visions i vandalize, because it won't make sense!





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HIIII i am so excited to be working on this second book finally!! i hope you're all as excited as i am. a lot of you suggested and supported the idea of a sequel so here we are!

Clint wasn’t sure how long he’d been laying there, but he knew they’d gotten away. 

Shit.

They’d slipped right through his fingers when he’d almost had them. If it wasn’t for whatever had knocked him out when he had Barnes on the ground, that motherfucker never would’ve even made it into those stupid underground tunnels in the first place. How did those idiots even find out about them? 

He pulled himself up off the ground, and immediate searing pain iminated in his head, sending him right back down to the ground. Reaching into his pocket for his phone, he pulled it out only to see it was shattered. Having it squished between his body and the ground when Steve put him down destroyed it, and it wouldn’t even turn on. It was cold and wet inside the tunnels, and he didn’t know whether to run out the doors and follow them or go back upstairs and alert everyone else that they’d escaped. Knowing that he wasn’t the most favored in the facility because of all that shit about James Rhodes, Clint didn’t think that anyone would believe him until the lights turned back on and the counts were done, but that could take hours with the shitty organizational state of the prison. The only thing left to do was run, and that’s what he did. 

And as for Rhodes, Clint put that behind him because for all he cared, that dumbass could rot in hell. Shouldn’t have pissed him off. 

Steve and Bucky had no idea that someone was following them, but it’s probably for the best that they didn’t. With both of them already so jumpy, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if one of them pulled out the gun and shot him. Clint must have not been on the ground for long, because when he got to the entrance to the woods from the tunnels, he spotted the two of them running in the distance. He followed them through the woods to the old warehouse, and he stayed out of sight for a couple of days to let Steve and Bucky get a false sense of security, and after he was sure they’d probably calmed down a bit, he left the woods to get to a phone. That’s where the anonymous tip came from. It was Clint who told the authorities where Steve and Bucky were hiding. 

Sure that he’d sealed their fate, Clint returned to work the next day only to be arrested for assisting the escape. 

“I’m sorry, Barton,” Natasha said to him in a fake voice as everyone gathered in the hallway to watch handcuffs being slapped on his wrists. “You disappeared on the same night that the two of them did, only coming back once they’d been located and killed. It’s all too fishy, and I’m afraid we had to get the authorities involved with you.” Clint struggled against the officers, but for once since Natasha had known him, she saw him in a loosing battle.

“You stupid bitch!” He yelled at her. “If I ever get out of this mess, your ass is grass, do you hear me?!” The officers tugged him towards the front door where a police car was waiting outside. 

“I think we’ve heard enough, Mr. Barton,” one of them said over Clint’s yelling. “Let’s go.”

Natasha, Sam, Wanda, Ramos, and an inmate who had been in Sam’s office stood in silence while Clint was pulled out the door. Ramos went back to his office, not giving two shits about anything per usual, and Sam ushered the inmate back inside his office, promising that he’d only be a minute. 

“We couldn’t get him for the Rhodes case, but he’ll get what he deserves, don’t you think?” Natasha asked, her hands on her hips and her eyes still glued to the front door down the hall. Wanda nodded. 

“Steve would have gotten a kick out of this,” she said with a slight smile. As far as she and Sam knew, Steve and Bucky were dead, and it had been really hard for the two of them to return to work as normal. They’d been surprised at how calm Natasha had been through all of it, but they merely passed it off as shock, having absolutely 100% no idea that both Steve and Bucky were safe and sound at Natasha’s house right that very moment.

*

Steve woke up on the couch with Bucky wrapped around him. They hadn’t meant to fall asleep there, but after they had a little talk the night before, they’d been so tired and fell asleep before either of them could suggest getting up. Natasha passed them on her way out to work, but she didn’t wake them, knowing how exhausted they were. She left a note on the kitchen table and left quietly. 

Bucky was sleeping so soundly that Steve wasn’t even tempted in the slightest to wake him up. He reached for the remote and flipped through the channels on the TV, only stopping when he saw a familiar face on the screen. It was Clint, and the headline shook Steve to the core.

_ Auburn Correctional CO Arrested; Accused of Aiding Last Week’s Escape _

Feeling no remorse for waking Bucky up now that _ this _ was on the screen, Steve shook him lightly, and watched his eyes flutter open as he smiled.

“G’morning, Steve,” he said, craning his neck to kiss Steve on the cheek. Ignoring him, Steve only pointed to the TV screen, and Bucky’s jaw dropped when he saw what was up there.

“You’re kidding me,” he said in disbelief. “They beat that stupid asshole at his own game.” Bucky laughed. “Kind of deserved it.”

“_ Kinda _?” Steve asked. “Buck, he killed somebody and got away with it.” Bucky raised his eyebrows. 

“Probably woulda killed us if he’d gotten the chance.” Steve changed the channel again to get Clint’s face away from him, and he stood up and stretched before walking to the kitchen. Bucky spread himself out on the couch and popped his back, groaning and making Steve laugh.

“Okay, old man. How are we this morning?” Bucky laughed and got up to join him.

“Shut up.” He nudged Steve in the shoulder when he got to the kitchen, but he saw Steve looking down at a piece of paper that was on the table.

_ Guys, _

_ I knew how tired you must’ve been yestserday, so I didn’t want to wake you. Feel free to eat anything that’s in the kitchen, and if you need to wash any clothes, Steve knows where the laundry room is. Please stay safe and stay _ _ indoors__.__The last thing we need is someone spotting you two. __I’ll be home around 5:30, and I’ll bring dinner. You deserve some good food and not the monstrosity that is my cooking :) See you soon._

_ Nat_

Bucky read it along with Steve and grabbed Steve’s hand.

“I honestly don’t know how we’re ever gonna repay her.” Steve shook his head. 

“You’re telling me.”

  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short hiatus this week. i've been SO busy, but i really really liked writing this chapter. i missed my boys so much :')

The two of them sorted through all of the stuff they had left in their bags (minus the one that was left in the warehouse to burn), and they washed the clothes they’d worn the week they were in the woods. Steve took all of the food he’d packed and put it in Natasha’s pantry, hoping he’d find a better way to repay her than just giving her his leftover food. Steve left the gun and the money in one of the bags, and he hid it behind some stuff in one of the hall closets.

He realized that he hadn’t been to Natasha’s in forever, and he never imagined that Bucky would be there with him, but he was honestly still in shock of everything that had happened. Bucky had tried to push all of the events of the last few months behind him, but he soon learned that Steve wasn’t gonna let him because all he did for the rest of the day was talk about it.

“Do you think everyone believes that we’re really dead?” Steve asked him as he made them both a sandwich for lunch. Bucky told him that he wasn’t hungry, but Steve wasn’t having it. He ran his finger over the line of books on Nat’s shelf, trying to find one to read, something he hadn’t gotten to do in a while. Of course, correctional facilities were supposed to provide literature to inmates, but they could add that to the list of things Auburn didn’t do because it was horrible.

“I guess,” Bucky said, shrugging his shoulders. Steve stayed quiet for a second as if he expected him to say something else, but he didn’t.

“Well, don’t you think that it’s crazy? That here we are, living and breathing, while the whole country thinks we’re gone?” Bucky was getting a little tired of Steve continuing to mention it.

“Ah, yes. It’s every man’s  _ dream _ to realize that an entire country is rejoicing at the thought of his death,” Bucky spit out sarcastically, still looking through the books.

“Buck, that’s not what I meant-”

“Then what do you mean?” Bucky asked, interrupting him. “All you’ve done since we saw that newspaper is talk about everyone thinking that we’re dead. You don’t have to keep reminding me, Steve. Trust me, I remind myself every few minutes.” Steve watched from the kitchen as Bucky tried to ignore the situation, as he wouldn’t take his eyes off the bookshelf.

“I don’t understand why it bothers you so much. It’s the only thing keeping us safe right now.” Bucky scoffed. 

“No, the only thing keeping us safe is the fact that Natasha is being nice enough to give us place to stay. Steve,” he said, finally turning around and looking Steve in the eyes. “We will never be safe. No matter how much time passes, it’ll never be the way you think it’ll be.”

“What are you on about-”

“What am I on about? You wanna know what  _ I’m _ on about? Okay, Steve, I’ll tell you since you don’t understand already.” Bucky stepped away from the bookshelf and walked towards the kitchen. “I’m on about the fact that no one wants to see me win. It’s understandable, but Steve, if someone so much as  _ thinks _ that they spot us-”

“Bucky, they think we are dead.”

“And everyone thought that I killed those people!” He yelled back at him. “

But that wasn’t true either.” As he deflated from yelling, he watched Steve turn away from him and continue making their lunch. “Wait, I didn’t mean to yell, Steve. I’m sorry,” Bucky said softly. Steve didn’t say anything. “You just have to understand that there will always be people who want to believe that we’re still out there. They never found our bodies because we  _ weren’t  _ there, Steve. Don’t you think that there are already people questioning that news report?” He asked, not really expecting a response which was a good thing because he didn’t get one. At least, not to the question.

“Bucky, I don’t really care what this person thinks opposed to what that persont thinks,” Steve said as he finally turned around to look at him. “I just asked because I’m having a hard time processing it all.” He sat down at the table. “I didn’t mean to strike a nerve,” he said, his voice softening. Bucky immediately felt bad and sat down across from him.

“It’s not your fault, Steve,” he said comfortingly. “I’m just so on edge right now.” Steve knew that. It was almost as if he was more nervous now than he was a week ago.

“I guess I just don’t understand why you’re freaking out now that we’re the safest we’ve been this whole time,” Steve interjected. “Why aren’t you more relieved?” Bucky shrugged his shoulders.

“I just feel like our luck has to run out at some point; we’ve been over this, Steve,” Bucky confessed. “Besides, when we were at the prison and in the tunnels and on the run, I was so high on adrenaline that I hardly even remember any of it. Now that I’ve had time to sit down and think about it, I’m scared, Steve.” 

Steve knew the feeling all to well. He thought he’d keep it a secret from Bucky, but he also thought Bucky was doing better than he was.

“Seems like we’re in the same boat then, huh?” Steve asked, slumping down in his chair and feeling a bit defeated. Bucky nodded his head.

“I know I don’t have to do it alone. You’ve made that clear with everything you’ve done for me, and you need to know that you don’t have to do it alone either,” Bucky told him, confidently. “I know how to be there for you way better that I know how to be there for myself, and I know you, Steve. You’ve always been the same way.” He knew Bucky was right, and it comforted him to know that Bucky knew him well.

“Then I guess that’s what we’ll have to do. Be there for each other until we get all of this straightened out, yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Bucky agreed before lightening the mood by pointing to the unfinished sandwiches on the counter. “You gonna make that or do I need to make my own?” He asked, earning a thump on the shoulder as Steve got up to tend to them. 

“You want mayo or mustard?”

*

It was around 4:30, and Steve had woken up from dozing off on the couch. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but it was hard to resist with how tired they’d been the last few days. Bucky was flipping through the channels on the TV, something he’d told Steve he’d missed. 

“The assholes in the rec room up at minimum would never let anybody change the channel,” he’d told Steve before he fell asleep. “We watched the same thing every single day. I stopped going.”

Bucky didn’t know that Steve was awake, but as Bucky was flipping, Steve saw something that caught his eye.

“Wait, go back!” He said out of nowhere, startling Bucky and causing him to drop the remote in his lap.

“What the hell, Steve?” Bucky shot back at him, fumbling to get the remote. “How long have you been awake?” Steve scoffed and sat up, motioning his hand as to swat the question away.

“Just go back,” he repeated, and Bucky flipped back a couple of channels until Steve told him to stop. He had no idea how he missed it a second ago. Clint’s face was on the screen, and the anchor behind the desk turned over the story to another reporter as the picture changed to a man standing in the front parking lot of the prison. It was Don Watson, the same man who’d reported on Bucky’s new charge weeks ago when Steve was snowed in at his apartment.

“What is going on-”

“Shh!” Steve said sharply. Bucky rolled his eyes but shut up and watched with Steve. The reporter began to speak.

“Thanks, Robert. Tensions have been high here at the Auburn Correctional Facility for over a week, after an inmate, convicted murderer James Barnes, escaped, along with two employees coming up missing. Former head psychiatrist, Steve Rogers, who has since passed, was reportedly taken hostage by Barnes and was forced to help him escape. The same was believed of correctional officer Clint Barton, who also disappeared the night of the escape.” Steve cringed at the sound of his own name on the news. The man walked towards the side of the building and pointed towards the trees. “It was said that the escapees came out through a back part of the building and ran into the cover of the woods.”

“Think they found out about the tunnels?”

“Buck, _shut_ _up_,” Steve spit out, and this time Bucky giggled to himself, finding out that one of his new hobbies was getting on Steve’s nerves, but he quickly turned back towards the screen and listened.

“It was believed that CO Barton had also gotten roped into helping Barnes escape against his will, but after almost a week of being missing, he returned to work this morning, where he was met with the police, ready to take him in on an aid charge. Authorities strongly believe that Barton had something to do with the situation, especially after speaking to his colleagues, who unlike with Rogers, had nothing good to say about him. As reported a few days ago, both Barnes and Rogers were killed in an explosion where they were hiding out. Robert?”

Bucky and Steve sat there in disbelief for a few seconds, the anchors moving on to a new story. Bucky turned the volume down a few notches. 

“Can you believe that?” Steve asked. “After all these years, Barton finally got arrested for something he didn’t even do.” He laughed a bit, but noticed Bucky’s blank face and stopped.

“I got arrested for something that I didn’t even do, and it ruined my life, Steve. Now I have to feel like I did that to someone else. Stuff is just gonna keep on piling onto me to make me feel even more guilty, isn’t it?” He hung his head down and covered his face with his hands, using his thumbs to massage his temples. Steve scooted from the other side of the couch until he was right next to Bucky. Wrapping his arms around him and placing his chin on his shoulder, he kissed him softly on the side of the head.

“Bucky, you know that he deserved it. Maybe not for what they think, but he’s not exactly a good person.” Bucky nodded his head slightly, knowing that Steve was right, but it was still a lot to process paired with everything else going on. “They didn’t get him for a murder that he actually committed. Don’t you think he needed to be caught for something, even if it wasn’t that?” Steve asked him.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he replied, raising up and leaning his head on Steve’s. “I’m just working through all of this, and my guilt complex is through the roof right now.”

“I know, and it’s okay. Why don’t we turn off the news for a while?” Bucky agreed, and they found a football game on, watching it until they heard Natasha’s keys in the door.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you're getting into this story the way people to into the first one!!
> 
> xo caro


	3. Chapter 3

Hi friends!  
Not an update, but I have a question.  
I've been extremely busy - there was a death in the family, school started back, I traveled out of the country, etc - but I want to get back into my writing.  
So the question I have for you all is this:  
Would you guys like to see me continue this story, continue Keep Me in the Dark, or start something fresh and new? I feel like I do best when I put all of my focus on one story, so I would appreciate it if you guys would tell me which one you like the best.   
My best bet would probably be to start something new, but be honest!!  
And if you would like something new, anything specific you'd like to see?  
I hope you guys will stick with me!!

Love as always,  
xoxo caro


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